


walking a tightrope with you

by bravest_person_in_Wonderland



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Audio 030: Seasons of Fear, F/M, Fluff, Introspection, Softness, and Charley thinks he's adorable (because he is), eight is a bby, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:48:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23399470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bravest_person_in_Wonderland/pseuds/bravest_person_in_Wonderland
Summary: Post-ep fill-in for Seasons of FearEight is exhausted and Charley has a quiet moment to think.
Relationships: Eighth Doctor/Charley Pollard
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	walking a tightrope with you

“Was it everything you’d expected?” the Doctor asked, looking over his shoulder. 

Charley, following a few steps behind on the way back to the TARDIS, smiled. “A lot more,” she replied. It was January 1st, 1931, around 3am, and they were leaving the New Years’ celebrations at the Singapore Hilton. Charley had bid Alex Grayle farewell – though the young man didn’t realize how final the goodbye would likely be – and now looked long and hard at the Doctor as he pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the bigger-on-the-inside police box. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” She asked, frowning slightly. He’d taken quite a beating on this little adventure, not the least of which was a fall through the time vortex. He looked tired, and paler than he should be, though he hid it well. 

“Yes, Charley. I told you, I’m fine.” He pretended to glower at her, but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away. He had told her, more than once, but she doubted he was being completely honest. Oh, she was sure he was alright, not in any life-threatening danger or anything, but she knew him well enough to know he was exhausted.

Her point was proved inside the TARDIS, after she’d changed into soft pyjamas and returned to the console room to see if the Doctor would like a cup of tea. Well, it wasn’t really much of a question whether or not he wanted it, more that she needed to know what kind he was in the mood for. There was an entire cabinet in the kitchen stocked with hundreds of varieties, some from Earth but most found in foreign alien markets and shops. 

Charley rolled her eyes when she saw the Doctor. “What was it you were saying about being ’fine’?” she muttered. He was seated on the floor of the console room, leaning against one of the large metal support beams around the console. 

“I truly am, Charley,” he mumbled, sounding half-asleep already. “Just need some sleep. Funny,” he added, “That doesn’t happen very often.”

Charley knelt next to him. “Oh, so you’re going to just go right to sleep… on the floor. Sounds like a lovely plan.” Her sarcasm was plain to be heard, although she was chuckling slightly. This was such a Doctor thing to do, wear himself out and end up sleeping on the floor of the control room. 

“I don’t see why not,” he replied, sliding down and starting to curl up – a small corner of Charley’s brain registered how adorable he really was being right now – but she stopped him and scooted closer, her legs outstretched. 

She patted her lap. “There you are,” she announced, “perfect pillow.” 

“Really, Charley, you can go to bed if you like.” But she noticed that he didn’t truly protest, just laid his head on her lap and shut his eyes. 

“Well,” Charley reasoned, “We may as well make it into a slumber party.” He smiled slightly and then was quiet. “Gosh, how’s he get to sleep so fast?” Charley whispered to herself – and maybe the TARDIS? 

She wrinkled her nose, for some undefinable reason attempting to smother the grin growing on her lips as she looked down at him. He really was adorable, wasn’t he? He looked so sweet and peaceful, one of his messy brown curls falling over his forehead. She reached to brush it away, and her fingers lingered in the soft strands at his temple. Why was it that she felt the lightest brush of butterfly wings in her chest as she stroked his hair? After all, they were friends, the closest of friends…

She shook her head, not allowing herself to make the abstract concept of more into a solidified thought. It didn’t do to dwell on such things, at least not right now. Well… maybe now was the perfect time, or maybe there never would be a perfect time to accept it. It was another one of those rather fuzzy, partially-formed thoughts that she hadn’t let herself dwell on until now: she’d somehow fallen in love with the Doctor.

She supposed it wasn’t that surprising. He was so dashing and kind and sweet, whisking her away on impossible adventures, anywhere and anywhen, just the two of them. But he wasn’t even human, he would far outlive her. She tried to ignore that fact as much as she could, much preferring to live in the moment and pray for as much time with him as she could have. 

It was so strange, how she couldn’t bear thinking what her life would be like without him. Well – she felt the too-familiar pang of guilt and worry – she wouldn’t have a life without him, would she? She should have died… 

Turning back to happier thoughts, she leaned her head back against the column and remembered the first thing he’d shown her. Right after they’d left the wreck of the R101, he’d opened up a viewing window over the console and shown her millions of stars, ones that couldn’t be seen from Earth. It had been absolutely breathtaking, and she wondered if she hadn’t lost her heart to him right then and there. 

Funny how most of their time together was spent running from one dangerous adventure to the next. Charley didn’t mind, she loved the thrill and the risk, and any time spent with the Doctor was spent well… but the quiet moments, as rare as they could be, were ever so nice. They were to be treasured, she thought, and smiled softly at a small sound the Doctor made as he slept.

These were the thoughts Charley Pollard drifted to sleep on, sitting on the floor of the console room in the TARDIS, the Doctor’s head in her lap and her fingers tracing gently through his hair, on January 1st, 1931 – relatively, that is.

**Author's Note:**

> the idea of Eight showing Charley the stars came from this: https://www.deviantart.com/johannesviii/art/Where-would-you-like-to-go-first-788621568 fanart by Johannesviii (sorry, I don't know how to compress links...). A lot of my ideas are admittedly inspired by their artwork :)
> 
> Also, the title of this is from Tightrope by Michelle WIlliams, from The Greatest Showman.


End file.
